Apple tree named ‘TAKANO 7GO’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of apple tree named ‘TAKANO 7GO’ having a longer common storage duration of about one month even at an average temperature of about 20-25° C., balanced sweetness and acidity of the fruit, higher firmness of the flesh, and earlier harvest time (for example, from late August to early September in Japan).

The botanical name of the novel apple tree variety is Malus Mill.

The novel variety of the Malus Mill is hereinafter referred to by thevariety denomination: ‘TAKANO 7GO’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Japanese Variety RegistrationApplication No. 32562 filed Nov. 1, 2017, which is incorporated byreference herein as if set forth in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of appletree botanically classified as Malus Mill. and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘TAKANO 7GO’.

The new variety is a product of a planned breeding program conductedduring a period from May 2006 to September 2017 by the inventor,Oshu-shi, Iwate, Japan, in which the Malus Mill. variety ‘Shinano Gold’(female parent; Japanese Variety Registration No. 7328, registered Aug.11, 1999) was crossed with the Malus Mill. variety ‘TAKANO 1GO’ (maleparent) which is also known as the name ‘Beni Roman’ (JapaneseRegistered Trademark No. 5128504, registered Apr. 11, 2008) in Japan.The objective of the breeding program was to create new apple trees thatproduce fruits having long common storage duration and firm flesh,different from those of the parents and known similar varieties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new and distinct variety ‘TAKANO 7GO’ has a longer common storageduration of about one month even at an average temperature of about20-25° C., balanced sweetness (about 14.5-15 (Brix %)) and acidity(about 0.33 g/100 ml) of the fruit, higher firmness of the flesh (about15.3 lbs.), and earlier harvest time (for example, late August to earlySeptember in Japan), and, as described below, is distinct from: theknown variety ‘Shinano Gold’ (female parent) that was produced bycrossing the Malus Mill variety ‘Golden Delicious’ which is a classicAmerican apple variety and is also well known in Japan with the knownvariety ‘Senshu’ (Japanese Variety Registration No. 42, registered Mar.31, 1980), the known Malus Mill. variety ‘TAKANO 1GO’ (male parent,Japanese Variety Registration No. 20599, registered Mar. 15, 2011) thatwas produced by crossing the known Malus Mill variety ‘Shinano Red’(Japanese Variety Registration No. 5867, registered Dec. 5, 1997) withthe known Malus Mill. variety ‘Sansa’ (Japanese Variety Registration No.1565, registered Mar. 5, 1988); and the Malus Mill. variety ‘Tsugaru’well known in Japan.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs (FIGS. 1-6) show typical flower,fruit, and leaf characteristics for the new Malus Mill. apple treevariety, ‘TAKANO 7GO’. Colors shown are as accurate as can be reasonablyreproduced by photographic means. In some cases, the color might differslightly from the colors of ‘RYOKU NH-13’ described herein.

FIG. 1 shows a tree (about 9 years old) of ‘TAKANO 7GO’ in bloom.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the flowers of ‘TAKANO 7GO’.

FIG. 3 shows petals, pistil, stamens and sepal of the flower of ‘TAKANO7GO’.

FIG. 4 shows a tree, fruits, and leaves of ‘TAKANO 7GO’.

FIG. 5 shows the shape and diameter of the whole fruit of ‘TAKANO 7GO’.

FIG. 6 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the fruit of ‘TAKANO7GO’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new variety ‘TAKANO 7GO’ has characteristics as described below,compared with the parent varieties and similar varieties. (see TABLEs 1,2 and 3).

TABLE 1 Partial characteristics of ‘TAKANO 7GO’ Characteristic StateTree: type ramified Tree: habit spreading Fruit: height medium, about 8cm on average Fruit: general shape ovoid Fruit: relative area ofovercolor very large Fruit: hue of overcolor, with bloom orange red(RHS, removed approximately N34A) Fruit: intensity of stripes ofovercolor weak Fruit: color of flesh yellow white (RHS, approximately158D) Time of beginning of flowering medium Time of harvest early

The variety ‘Shinano Gold’, a female parent, has the characteristics ofthat the skin color is yellow (RHS Yellow Group approximately 6C) whenharvested, the sweetness of flesh is high (about 15.3 (Brix %)), theacidity of flesh is medium (about 0.45.g/100 ml), the firmness or foodtexture (i.e., mouthfeel) of flesh is firm (about 15.5 lbs.), and thetime of harvest is late, specifically late October in Iwate, Japan.

The variety ‘TAKANO 1GO’, a male parent, has the characteristics thatthe skin color is red (RHS Red Group approximately 46B) when harvested,the color of flesh is yellow white (RHS Yellow-White Group approximately158D), the acidity of flesh is about 0.50 g/100 ml, the firmness offlesh is about 16.0 lbs., the time of harvest is very early,specifically mid of August at Iwate, Japan, and the common storageduration is short (about 4-10 days in August at Iwate, Japan).

On the other hand, the new and distinct variety ‘TAKANO 7GO’ has thecharacteristics described in TABLE 1 above and TABLEs 2 and 3 below,especially that the time of harvest is from late August to earlySeptember at Iwate, Japan and the common storage duration is long (aboutone month even in the period late August to early September at Iwate,Japan (average temperature about 20-25° C.)) substantially withoutmaking the flesh soft and thus very superior to any known varietyproduced in Japan (normally up to about 10 days), that the skin color ofthe fruit is orange red (RHS Orange-Red Group approximately N34A) whenharvested, and the color of the flesh is yellow white (RHS Yellow-WhiteGroup approximately 158D) and the firmness of the flesh is firm (about15.3 lbs.), and that the sweetness of the fruit is about 14.5-15 (Brix%) and is higher than the sweetness of known fruits like ‘Beni Roman’(i.e. the variety ‘TAKANO 1GO’) (about 13 (Brix %) and ‘Sansa’ (about13-14 (Brix %)), and the acidity of the flesh is medium (about 0.33g/100 ml), while having balanced sweetness and acidity and higherfirmness of the flesh. Furthermore, in the new and distinct variety‘TAKANO 7GO’, the leaves are arranged alternatively on the stem with oneleaf per node in a straight line.

TABLE 2 Comparison of characteristics between the new variety andsimilar varieties Varieties Sansa (not Tsugaru (not CharacteristicTAKANO 7GO patented)*¹ patented)*¹⁾ Stripes of overcolor weak absent —Duration of common long, slightly short, slightly short, storage about 1month 10 days or less 10 days or (at about 20-25° C.) less Fruitfirmness of firm, slightly firm, soft, flesh about 15.3-16.0 about 13.8lbs about 13.0 lbs lbs. *¹⁾‘Sansa’ and ‘Tsugaru’ are similar to ‘TAKANO7GO’ in their harvest time.

The following detailed botanical description of ‘TAKANO 7GO’ apple treeis based an survey (or observations) made during the period betweenAugust 2013 and September 2017 at Oshu-shi, Iwate, Japan. All colors aredescribed according to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. Itshould be understood that the characteristics described will varysomewhat depending upon cultural practices and climate conditions andwill also vary depending upon location and season. Quantifiedmeasurements are generally expressed as an average of measurements takenfrom individual trees of ‘TAKANO 7GO’ unless otherwise noted; however,the measurements of any individual plant or any group of plants of‘TAKANO 7GO’ may vary from the stated average.

-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Malus Mill.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Malus Mill. variety ‘Shinano Gold’ (Japanese            Variety Registration No. 7328, registered Aug. 11, 1999).        -   Male parent.—Malus Mill. variety ‘TAKANO 1GO’ (male parent;            Japanese Variety Registration No. 20599, registered Mar. 15,            2011).-   Propagation: Typically by grafting on JM1 (Japanese Variety    Registration No. 7443, registered Sep. 21, 1999) rootstock; and the    good time of grafting is a period of mid to late March at Iwate,    Japan.-   Flowering-beginning time: Typically early May at Iwate, Japan.-   Harvest time: Typically a period between late August and early    September at Iwate, Japan.-   Plant description: See TABLE 3 below indicating characteristics of    ‘TAKANO 7GO’ compared with the similar variety ‘Sansa’ (Japanese    Variety Registration No. 1565, registered Mar. 5, 1988).

TABLE 3 Characteristics of ‘TAKANO 7GO’ compared with ‘Sansa’ ‘TAKANOCharacteristic 7GO’ ‘Sansa’ Tree: vigor medium medium Tree: typeramified ramified Only varieties with spreading spreading ramified treetype: Tree: habit Tree: type of bearing on spurs and long on spurs andlong One-year-old shoot: medium, about 4.5 mm medium, about 4.5thickness mm One-year-old shoot: short, about 2.7 cm medium, about 3.3length of internode cm One-year-old shoot: moderate brown (RHS lightbrown (RHS color on sunny side Brown Group 200C) Grey-Brown Group N199C)One-year-old shoot: densely pubescent medium pubescence (on distal halfof shoot) One-year-old shoot: many medium number of lenticels (thenumber of lenticels, not determined.) Leaf blade: attitude in upwardsupwards relation to shoot Leaf blade: length medium, about 9.5 cmmedium, about 9.8 cm Leaf blade: width narrow, about 5.8 cm narrow,about 5.9 cm Leaf blade: ratio large, about 1.63 large, about 1.66length/width Leaf blade: intensity of medium medium green color Leafblade: incisions of serrate type 1 bicrenate margin (upper half) Leafblade: pubescence densely pubescent medium on lower side Leaf blade:pubescence absent — on upper side Petiole: length medium, about 2.8 cmlong, >2.8 cm Petiole: color RHS Yellow-Green — Group146C Petiole:diameter about 2 mm on average — Petiole: extent of medium mediumanthocyanin coloration from base Flower: predominant strong pink (RHSRed light pink (RHS Red color at balloon stage Group 50C) Group 50D)Flower: diameter with medium, about 5.5 cm medium, about 5.8 petalspressed into on average cm on average horizontal position Flower:arrangement of moderately moderately petals overlapping overlappingFlower: petal length about 2.5-3.0 cm on — average Flower: petal widthabout 1.7-2.1 cm on — average Flower: petal color on predominantly White— the upper side Group RHS N155B to N155D and partly Red- Purple GroupRHS 65B to 65C Flower: petal color on predominantly RHS — the lower sideWhite Group N155B to N155D and partly Red- Purple Group RHS N74B to N74CFlower: shape of petal rounded — apex Flower: shape of petal rounded —base Flower: petal texture soft and fragile — Flower: the average 5 5number of petals Flower: length of flower about 1.5 cm on average — budsFlower: diameter of about 1.3 cm on average — flower buds Flower: colorof flower RHS Red-Purple Group — buds 63A to 63B Flower: position ofsame level same level stigmas relative to anthers Flower: fertilitycross-pollination cross-pollination Anthers: color RHS Yellow Group 10A— Filaments: length about 8-12 mm — Filaments: color Blue-Green RHS 115A— to 115B Pistil: number one (1) — (the number of stigmas, 5) Pistil:length about 1.3 cm on average — Pistil: color Yellow Green Group — RHS152C Young fruit: extent of medium medium anthocyanin overcolor Fruit:size medium medium Fruit: height medium, about 8.0 cm medium, about 8.0cm Fruit: diameter medium, about 8.0 cm medium, about 7.8 cm Fruit:ratio very small, 1.0 small, 1.03 height/diameter Fruit: general shapeovoid conic Fruit: ribbing absent or weak absent or weak Fruit: crowningat calyx absent or weak absent or weak end Fruit: size of eye smallsmall (actual size, not determined.) Fruit: length of sepal mediummedium Fruit: bloom of skin absent or weak absent or weak Fruit:greasiness of skin absent or weak absent or weak Fuit: surface textureof smooth medium skin Fruit: ground color whitish green whitish greenFruit: relative area of very large medium overcolor Fruit: hue of RHSOrange Red RHS Red Group overcolor-with bloom approximately N34Aapproximately 46B removed Fruit: intensity of medium medium overcolorFruit: pattern of solid flush with weakly only solid flush overcolordefined stripes Fruit: width of stripes medium (about 1.5-2.0 narrow (orabsent) mm on average) Fruit: intensity of weak absent overcolor Fruit:area of russet absent or small medium around stalk attachment Fruit:area of russet on absent or small medium cheeks Fruit: area of russetabsent or small large around eye basin Fruit: number of many (about 5per 1 cm² medium lenticels of equatorial portion) Fruit: size oflenticels large (about 0.3 mm on medium average) Fruit: scarfskin absentabsent Fruit: length of stalk short, about 1.8 cm short, about 1.9 cmFruit: thickness of stalk medium, about 2.5 mm medium, about 2.4 mmFruit: depth of stalk medium, about 1.3 cm medium, about cavity 1.3 cmFruit: width of stalk medium,about 3.7 cm medium, about cavity 3.8 cmFruit: depth of eye basin medium, about 1.0 cm medium, about 1.0 cmFruit: width of eye basin medium, about 3.6 cm medium, about 3.6 cmFruit: firmness of flesh firm, about 15.3 lbs. medium, about 13.8 lbs.Fruit: color of flesh RHS Yellow-White RHS White Group Groupapproximately approximately 155D 158D Fruit: sweetness of flesh medium,about 14.6 medium, about (Brix %) 13-14 (Brix %) Fruit: acidity of fleshmedium, about 0.33 medium, about 0.41 (g/100 ml) (g/100 ml) Fruit:water-core of flesh absent to very slight absent to very slight Fruit:shape of core flat round, 2.4 × 2.4 (cm) flat round, 2.6 × 2.6 (cm)Fruit: aperture of locules moderately open moderately open (intransverse section) Fruit: productivity Productivity: about 40 kg —(kg/tree) per tree Time of beginning of medium medium flowering Time ofharvest early early Duration of storage: long, about one month slightlyshort, common storage (August, Japan) 10 days or less (August, Japan)Duration of storage: cold long (about 3 months at slightly short (aboutstorage 4° C.) 20 days at 4° C.) Resistance to: Alternalia strong strongblotch (Alternalia mali Roberts) Tolerance to winter strong stronghardiness Tolerance to strong weak drought/heat

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Malus Mill. appletree named ‘TAKANO 7GO’, as illustrated and described herein.